METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ALLOCATING NETWORK RESOURCES IN A GROUP COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080144525A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: CROCKETT, Douglas M., KALANTRI, Sacchindrakumar Gopikisan
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

Methods, devices, apparatus, computer-readable media and processors are provided for allocating network resources in a group communication system based on one or more call control rules. Call control rules may utilize one or more call control decision parameters including, but not limited to, the location of the group call members, the cost of the communication link and/or network resource options, the network load of the communication link options and the security status and/or priority status of the group call and/or the group call members. By basing allocation of the network resources on one or more of the call control decision parameters, the group communication call may experience improved latency and call cost, and/or may be assigned the requisite call security and/or call priority.

Claims

1. A method for allocating network resources in a group communication network, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of group communication clients for participation in a group communication call; and

allocating at least one of a plurality of network resources to the group communication call based on a predetermined call control decision rule utilizing at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

2. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising selecting one from a plurality of communication manager devices to control the group communication call, wherein at least two of the plurality of communication manager devices are operable to manage different ones of the plurality of network resources.

3. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes communication client location as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

4. The method for allocating of claim 3, further comprising allocating management of the group communication call to a selected one of a plurality of communication manager devices, the selected communication manager device having associated manager location information closest in location to the a majority of the communication clients.

5. The method for allocating of claim 3, further comprising allocating management of the group communication call to a selected one of a plurality of communication manager devices, the selected communication manager device having associated manager location information comprising a centralized location relative to the locations of the group communication clients.

6. The method for allocating of claim 3, further comprising allocating management of the group communication call to at least two communication manager devices selected from a plurality of communication manager devices based on the locations of the group communication clients.

7. The method for allocating of claim 6, further comprising assigning each of the group communication clients to one of the two or more communication manager devices based on the predetermined call control decision parameter.

8. The method for allocating of claim 7, wherein the predetermined call control decision parameter is chosen from the group consisting of location, cost, network load, priority and security.

9. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes network resource cost information as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

10. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes determined network load information as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

11. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes predicted network load information as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

12. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes call priority as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

13. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes group call participant priority as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

14. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes group call security information as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

15. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that utilizes group call participant security information as at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

16. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on two or more predetermined call control decision parameters chosen from the group consisting of client location information, communication manager location information, network resource location information, network resource cost information, network load information, call priority information, call participant priority information, call security information and call participant security information.

17. The method for allocating of claim 1, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that applies a weight to the two or more predetermined call control decision parameters.

18. The method for allocating of claim 16, further comprising allocating based on a predetermined call control decision rule that prioritizes the two or more predetermined call control decision parameters.

19. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions to identify a plurality of group communication clients for participation in a group communication call; and

instructions to allocate at least one of a plurality of network resources to the group communication call based on a predetermined call control decision rule utilizing at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

20. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

identifying a plurality of group communication clients for participation in a group communication call; and

allocating at least one of a plurality of network resources to the group communication call based on a predetermined call control decision rule utilizing at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

21. A network device for allocating network resources for a group communication call, the device comprising:

a computer platform that includes a processing engine and a memory unit; and

a dispatch module stored in the memory unit and executed by the processing engine, wherein the dispatch module includes call set-up logic operable for identifying a plurality of group communication clients for participation in a group communication call and call control logic operable for allocating at least one of a plurality of network resources to the group communication call based on a predetermined call control decision rule utilizing at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one predetermined call control decision parameter is chosen from the group consisting of communication client location, communication manager device location, network resource cost information, network load information, call priority information, call participant priority information, call security information, and call participant security information.

23. The device of claim 21, further comprising a communications device database, and wherein the call control logic is further operable for obtaining at least one predetermined call control decision parameter from the communications device database.

24. The device of claim 21, further comprising a communications device database, and wherein the call control logic is further operable for determining at least one predetermined call control decision parameter based on information stored in the communications device database.

25. The device of claim 21, further comprising a network resource database, and wherein the call control logic is further operable for obtaining at least one predetermined call control decision parameter from the network resource database.

26. The device of claim 21, further comprising a network resource database, and wherein the call control logic is further operable for determining at least one predetermined call control decision parameter based on information stored in the network resource database.

27. The device of claim 21, further comprising a group communication control module stored in the memory unit and executed by the processing engine, wherein the group communication control module includes call maintenance logic operable for maintaining control of the group communication call as a result of allocation by the call control logic.

28. A network device for allocating network resources for a group communication call, the device comprising:

a means for processing data at the network device;

a means for storing data at the wireless device that is in communication with the means for processing data;

a means for identifying a plurality of group communication clients for participation in a group communication call; and

a means for allocating at least one of a plurality of network resources to the group communication call based on a predetermined call control decision rule utilizing at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

29. A system for allocating network resources for a group communication call, the system comprising:

a plurality of communication clients operable for participating in group communication calls;

a plurality of network resources operable for controlling group communication calls; and

a plurality of group communication manager devices, each in network communication with one or more communication clients, wherein the group communication manager device includes a dispatch module that includes call set-up logic operable for identifying one or more of the plurality of communication clients for participation in a group communication call and call control logic operable for allocating at least one of a plurality of network resources to the group communication call based on a predetermined call control decision rule utilizing at least one predetermined call control decision parameter.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the predetermined call control decision parameter is chosen from the group consisting of communication client location, communication manager device location, network resource cost information, network load information, call priority information, call participant priority information, call security information, and call participant security information.

31. The system of claim 29, further comprising a communication client device database that is in communication with the dispatch module and includes information related to client-based predetermined call control decision parameters.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the information related to client-based predetermined call control decision parameters further comprises communication client location information.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the information related to client-based predetermined call control decision parameters further comprises communication client priority status.

34. The system of claim 29, further comprising a network resource database that is in communication with the dispatch module and includes information related to network resource-based predetermined call control decision parameters.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the information related to network resource-based predetermined call control decision parameters further comprises network resource cost information.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the information related to network resource-based predetermined call control decision parameters further comprises network resource load information.